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Legendary Items and Artifacts
There are many legends and stories about the most powerful magical items in the world. Some of these items are listed here. They are divided into two categories: Legendary Items and Artifacts. Legendary Items These items are unique and powerful, with storied histories but ultimately mortal in nature. They were created like most other magic items, though some using techniques that have long been lost, and can be destroyed like most other magic items. Aelfdan’s Talon A powerful sword from the dawn of the Elladan Empire, passed down through generations of warriors and learning from every one. Last wielded by Imreil, the last confirmed scion of Aelfdan’s line, who hid it away for a future hero to take up when the time is right. The Crimson Starlight This powerful ghost ship was once the pride of the Otter Clan of the Falathrim. It took part in many battles under several generations of captains, but one particularly bloody battle turned Captain Gwendolyn Lutra against the Falathrim. She renamed the ship after the starlight shining through the blood-soaked sails, and became one of the most ruthless pirates in history, enchanting the ship with every magical enhancement she could find. She was eventually killed and her ship scuttled. It was lost for almost a thousand years, though rumours persisted the ship still sailed itself and caused trouble. Eventually, the ship resurfaced (literally) under the command of a powerful lich who called himself Berhardt the Black, and claimed to be controlling the ship’s magic through an artifact linked to it. Berhardt and the Crimson Starlight have wandered the seas for nearly two millennia, wreaking havoc and terrorizing ships for reasons known only to the lich himself. The Crystal of Xanith When the insane wizard Xanith was exiled from the White Tower, he stole a flawless gemstone from the treasury and enchanted it to destroy and bypass magical defences. When loose, the gemstone emits an aura that suppresses magical shielding, and when set in a weapon, that weapon will ignore any defensive enchantments. The crystal has been lost and found many times, and its location is currently unknown. The Flame of Atlantis A powerful sword enchanted with fire, this blade was made during Atlantis’ rise to power. It was handed down through generations of top Atlantean generals, but when Atlantis fell from grace after the First Demon War, it was given to the greatest of generals around the world. It was passed between the most legendary of knights for years until the Second Demon War, when it was given to Makuta. When he founded the Brotherhood, he gifted it to his own top generals. Antroz came to wield it when he ascended to Makuta’s second in command, and has carried it ever since. Ley Buffers While ley lines can greatly enhance the power of arcane magic, they are also very dangerous, as channeling that much raw magic can result in devastating side effects. Ley buffers, which can take the shape of almost any object, allow a spellcaster to more safely channel the incredible energy of a ley line. Chances of catastrophic failure while accessing a line is greatly reduced while wielding one of these items. The Rainbow A powerful longbow of unknown origin, the Rainbow grants access to a variety of prismatic spells and associated powers. Any arrow fired from this bow also becomes a bolt of amazing radiant energy. The Seven Elemental Rods Created by an Atlantean mage in an attempt to prove his theory of seven elements instead of four, each of these rods channel the power of a particular element, providing widely varied effects. According to the mage’s theory, when all seven rods are wielded by one person, the combined effects make the user essentially omnipotent. However, since they were separated immediately after their creation by rival mages who feared the power, no one person has been able to assemble all seven. The powers contained in the rods are air, water, earth, fire, ice, lightning, and light. Seven League Boots Named for their ability to transport the wearer seven leagues in a single step, these boots possess an amazing array of teleportation and speed abilities. They are highly sought after by adventurers, and are currently locked away in the vaults of the White Tower. Soul Forge These machines are the mysterious devices used to create Warforged. Created by the Brotherhood of Makuta during the War of Three Empires, even the mages that invented them seem somewhat uncertain as to how they work. Several dozen were made initially, but most were destroyed. Of the five known to remain, Ferravertia, Elladan and Khagarad each keep custody of one, the Brotherhood escaped with one, and the final Forge was gifted to the Warforged themselves to propagate their race. The Sun Blade of Zibarran The origins of this ancient blade are lost to myth, but it is the sword of state of Zibarran. Technically the property of the Queen, she typically bestows it upon the Grand Duchess of Halabar, who is Grand Marshall of the Zibarrani military. The sword itself is a khopesh, with a blade made of pure radiant energy, and a hilt in the shape of the rising sun. It is particularly dangerous to undead. Artifacts These items are world-changing in nature. Often they were created in extraordinary circumstances, perhaps by divine intervention, and are usually indestructible except through similarly extraordinary means. The incredible power contained in such artifacts typically manifests drawbacks as well as benefits, making them extremely dangerous to use. Most of the few known artifacts are either lost to history or kept secret in secure locations. Armour of Heroes Supposedly forged by the gods themselves at the dawn of time, the pieces of this suit of armour has been scattered to the corners of the earth, only to be gathered by a chosen warrior in times of need. The individual pieces are powerful, but when assembled they are said to make the wearer invincible. The Book of Ley This incredible tome is the origin of all wizardry. Written long before any known orders of wizardry, it contains innumerable secrets of arcane lore. The pages appear to be limitless, and written in more languages than anyone has ever been able to identify. It is the most prized possession of the Order of the White Tower, who moved it along with their headquarters from Atlantis to the White City on Nystul Isle. More has been learned about magic from this one book than all other studies combined, and yet the sages who are entrusted with its safety believe that after thousands of years they have only scratched the surface of what it has to teach. The Jade Throne The throne of the Elladan Empire was carved from a single massive block of nephrite jade in the reign of Thingol’s son, and has served as the seat of the Empire ever since. It has been layered with countless enchantments, the most famous of which are the protective spells that defend whoever sits in the chair from any harm. Because of its importance, it is the one site (besides the Imperial Family themselves) under constant watch by the Imperial Guard. The Seven Piece Staff This staff is said to have belonged to the first wizard who read from the Book of Ley. It is enchanted with numerous magical abilities, but curiously can be separated into seven pieces. Each piece holds a portion of the staff’s power, and only by reassembling it can anyone unlock its full potential. If the staff is broken, it neatly splits itself into the seven pieces again and is scattered across the world. The fully assembled staff is currently a badge of office of the White Mage, head of the White Tower. Traitor’s Blade This dagger has a history soaked in blood. It was made from the horn of a unicorn, taken by someone the unicorn had called friend. The killing of such a pure creature put a powerful curse on the blade, bringing terrible misfortune to any who wield it. Despite the dangers, it is still highly coveted by assassins and brigands as it also possesses incredible powers which change with every telling of the blade’s legend. Some believe that the White Tower currently has the blade stored in their archives, others that the Paladins have locked it away so it can never be used. The Vorpal Sword This sword has numerous powers attributed to it, but the stories all agree on two things: it is unmatched in sharpness and has a thirst for decapitation. It has vanished and resurfaced many times, and the legend has become conflated with that of many other swords, which has made it difficult to determine where the truth begins and exaggeration ends. The Brotherhood apparently destroyed the Vorpal Sword during the Elladan/Brotherhood War, snapping the blade and melting the pieces in lava, but many people think that the end of such a powerful sword couldn’t possibly be so easy. Adventurers often go looking for the sword even to this day, but none have been successful in over 400 years. The Witching Cloak This dark grey-blue cloak, seemingly normal in appearance, hides one of the most powerful items ever beheld by mortals. According to legend, the cloak is said to provide a variety of powers, including shapeshifting, invulnerability, and flight, along with having pockets comparable to a whole collection of bags of holding. The cloak is often associated with legendary elven heroes, such as Ehlonna of the Wood. Nobody is certain of the cloak’s current whereabouts, as the last confirmed sighting was during the Consolidation War.